"I hope you believe me now. You thought
it was a plant. I hope you believe me now."
Mr Gale made no response to this remark. What Mr Gale said was:
"Don't you think that in fairness that half-sovereign belongs to me?"
"Why?" asked Mr Sandbach, bluntly.
"Well," Mr Gale began, searching about for a reason.
"You didn't find it," Mr Sandbach proceeded firmly. "You didn't see it
first. You didn't pick it up. Where do you come in?"
"I'm seven and sixpence out," said Mr Gale.
"And if I give you the coin, which I certainly shall not do, I should be
half-a-crown out."
Friendship was again jeopardized, when a second interference of fate
occurred, in the shape of a young and pretty woman who was coming from
the opposite direction and who astonished both men considerably by
stepping in front of them and barring their progress.
"Excuse me," said she, in a charming voice, but with a severe air. "But
may I ask if you have just picked up that coin?"
Mr Sandbach, after looking vaguely, as if for inspiration, at Mr Gale,
was obliged to admit that he had.
"Well," said the young lady, "if it's dated 1898, and if there's an 'A'
scratched on it, it's mine.
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